Invitation
by kazumi-chan
Summary: *CHAPTER 3 IS UP!* This fic is mainly ryo/aya but I will try to mix it up w/ hana-haruko, rukawa-haruko! Anyways, Shohoku team receives this envelope; ayako reads this first and starts to laugh? Why? Whats in that envelope? Read and find out!
1. chapter1

hey guys this is my first ever fanfic!! so sorry if there are wrong grammars ok and if the story is really bad, but promise it'll get a little better in the next chapters! ^_^ (and please i need reviews!)  
  
disclaimer: slamdunk -- not mine!  
  
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Invitation (chapter1)  
  
A pretty girl with a long, brown pony tailed hair carefully opens a white envelope addressed to Shohoku Basketball Team. She stares or rather reads what is written on the envelope, looks at the guys that surround her, giggles...then... "Hahahaha!!"  
  
"What is it Ayako-san?" a red-haired, curious guy asks.  
  
Ayako ignored him and the other guys with a more curious face. Ayako runs toward the gym door, still giggling, showed a piece of paper to a girl with a shoulder-length hair outside the gym. Haruko, the girl with shoulder- length hair looks at the curious guys inside the gym and giggles. Both girls are now giggling which makes the guys in the basketball court more curious and a bit irritated. Still, the two girls ignore them. Haruko says,  
  
"This is so cool, you think they'll go to this---"  
  
"Whether they'll like it or not, they have to, they're VIP's!" Ayako laughs again, "I can't imagine what they'll look like on that day...!  
  
"I think they'll look good!"  
  
"Yeah, about time to have a break from rubber shoes! Its time for them to look pleasing!"  
  
"What are you talking about," the biggest of the guys inside the basketball court asks as he and his other teammates go towards the girls. "The envelope says 'to Shohoku Basketball Team' so please..."  
  
"OK," Ayako smiles at them. "Promise me you'll not --- nah, whatever, here goes..."  
  
Ayako clears her throat, looks at the guys in front of him, smiles again, then...  
  
" 'To Shohoku Basketball Team. Congratulations for getting the Second Place in the play-offs. Before we begin the National Tournament, for the first time, we are holding a formal victory party for the top 8 teams. The party will be held at The Holiday Inn next Saturday. (A/N: I don't know a hotel in Japan I chose Holiday Inn since its popular.^_^) Please invite ladies as your partners in the party for the dance. We are expecting your team's presence since you got the second place. Thank You. Enclosed herewith are 25 tickets for the party' " Ayako shows them the paper and points at the bottom of the paper and says, "Strictly Formal."  
  
Like what she expects, complains are heard like I-don't-wear-this, I-hate- formal-occasions, this-is-disgusting and more complains you can think of.  
  
"I hate formal stuffs...Do we really have to go to this stupid formal party?" Mitsui asks, the guy with the blue-black hair.  
  
"Whether you like it or not, you have to, Mitsui-senpai, you all have to...You're one of the VIP's of basketball now, remember?!" Ayako said convincingly. "It'd be really embarrassing if Shohoku wouldn't be there, right?!"  
  
At last, thanks to Ayako's words they all settled and continued with their usual practice.  
  
Today's practice didn't go well...why...what do you think?! It's because of the invitation...the formal victory party. It's not just about what they'll wear...more important than that...their partners! These guys aren't stupid ok, (well, except for Rukawa, the guy with a messy, jet-black hair; he doesn't care about it, he only has one thing in his mind - basketball. But it doesn't mean Rukawa is stupid ok!) they wouldn't want to look alone in the party. But two guys are greatly affected by this problem, the guy with the red hair - Sakuragi and a cool looking guy with a pierce on his left ear - Miyagi. They already have their partner in their minds, all right, but the thing is...how...  
  
Miyagi, while running and dribbling the ball, looks at his long time crush, Ayako. He doesn't only have a crush on Ayako, he loves her more than anything. Sure he hates formal occasions but, this kind of occasion is once in a lifetime. It would be fun seeing his other rivals in formal clothes but the best of all is spending that formal party with girl of his dreams, and carrying the titles second place in the play-offs and one of the best point guards.  
  
Aya-chan, I really wish you'll go with me to the party. I'll ask her, that's the only thing, later, after our practice-   
  
"Ouch!" Miyagi is not aware of his surroundings; he receives a punch on his head made by the biggest guy in the team. ] "Concentrate, Miyagi, and stop staring at Ayako!" their captain shouts at him.  
  
"Sorry Captain Akagi!" Miyagi says.  
  
"Honestly Ryochin," Sakuragi cuts in, "you're not only fast but you can do two things at the same time...I'm amazed, really...staring at Ayako while running and dribbling a ball then passes to another...You're really great, nyahahaha!"  
  
"Shut up, Hanamichi...you're just jealous, you can't do that."  
  
"I'm not jealous! At least I can speak to Haruko-san with more than two words, unlike you, you can only stare at Ayako-san and say," Sakuragi imitates Miyagi, "Aya-chan!"  
  
"Shut up, or I'll kick you!" Miyagi warns Sakuragi while the rest of the team laughs except for Rukawa who seems like he doesn't care. Apparently, Ayako didn't hear the two guys since she's busy chatting with Haruko.  
  
The practice ends at last...all of them are tired and hungry. Hungry and tired though, Miyagi's mind is still full of Ayako. Determined to ask Ayako after practice, using his speed, he rushes to the locker room, changes his clothes, he runs outside the school gate (good thing there's a nearby flower shop), buys a long-stemmed red rose to make it special, rushes towards the gym.  
  
Mitsui looks at him with amazement, "fast as lightning...where have you been...and where did you get that rose?"  
  
Miyagi ignores him, gets his things and waits for Ayako near the girls' locker room. Seconds later Ayako walks out of the locker room. Slightly panting and a bit nervous, Miyagi calls out Ayako.  
  
"Um, Aya-chan?!" Ayako looks back and stops.  
  
Miyagi blushes slightly whenever Ayako looks at him. Carefully he hides the rose at his back and says, "um, is it all right...I'll walk you home?"  
  
Ayako smiles at him, "um, yeah, alright!"  
  
While they're walking, Miyagi offers to bring Ayako's bag, but Ayako hesitates because she doesn't want to add more trouble to Miyagi since walking her home is already fine for her. Miyagi reluctantly agrees and continues with their walking.  
  
"Um, Aya-chan," Miyagi shyly asks, "I want to ask you something..."  
  
"Sure Ryota, what is it?" Ayako replies with a smile.  
  
"About the formal party..."  
  
"Yeah...what about it?"  
  
"Is it alright if-?"  
  
"Ayako-san, wait up!" they hear their vice-captain Kogure calling.  
  
Ayako and Miyagi stops and waits for their vice-captain to reach them. Bad timing, Kogure, Miyagi says to himself. (A/N: words with ... are thoughts of Miyagi, k?!)  
  
"What is it Kogure-senpai?" Ayako asks as they walk.  
  
"For the formal party..." Kogure asks casually. No, Kogure...please, Ayako is going with me. "...is it alright if you go with me?" Damn...Kogure...!!!  
  
"Um...I...aah, I really don't know..." Ayako didn't expect this. Ayako wasn't able to explain further for believe it or not Rukawa approaches them and...  
  
"Ayako-san, go with me to the formal party, please." Darn, not you, Rukawa!!!  
  
This time, Ayako doesn't know what to do instead, she just said, "I really don't know...um, since there's the two of you asking me, well, I still have to, um, decide...I promise, I'll tell you about it tomorrow...I'm so sorry...!"  
  
"Hey, Rukawa," Miyagi tries his best to sound cool even if he wants to kick Kogure and Rukawa's butts, "What have you eaten, you suddenly asked a girl!"  
  
"Ayako is the only girl I know who doesn't run after me..." Rukawa replies rather smugly.  
  
"I promise, Rukawa, Kogure-senpai, tomorrow I'll let you know..." Ayako repeated.  
  
"That's alright, Ayako-san," Kogure says politely.  
  
After that, Rukawa and Kogure each went to their own destination, which left Ayako and Miyagi. Ayako is speechless, to break the silence Miyagi asks,  
  
"So..." trying to sound casual, "you are going with Kogure or with Rukawa...?"  
  
"Um, it's so hard..."  
  
"Why don't you go with Rukawa...that sounds like fun, the Rukawa brigade will get jealous!"  
  
"What...? You want me to get killed by those girls? And what about Kogure- senpai?"  
  
"Then go with Kogure!"  
  
"I can't...what about Rukawa...He's my schoolmate since junior high, I don't want to hurt him just because of that! And by the way, its his first to ask me like that."  
  
"Then, go with Rukawa."  
  
"I can't, Kogure-senpai has been a good friend to me."  
  
"Then, go with Kogure!"  
  
"No, what about..." Ayako realizes something, "HEY! Are you trying to fool me?! The next one will be, 'then, go with Rukawa', you're not trying to help me..."  
  
"I'm trying to help you..." Ryota says rather sadly. The reason why Ryota's telling her nonsense is because of the two "bakas!" who approached Ayako. Those bakas, trying to steal Aya-chan from me...!  
  
"Just stop it ok...I think I know now!"  
  
"What then?! You'll go with...?"  
  
"Nobody."  
  
"Great! What?! Oh no, if she ditched Kogure and Rukawa...what about me...?"  
  
The two still continues on with their walking. When they are nearly Ayako's house, Ayako remembered something...  
  
"What were you asking, before Kogure-senpai asked me?"  
  
"Huh, what...that...? Never mind its not that important..." slowly, Ryota's heart is like breaking into pieces. You're really hopeless Ryota...  
  
"No, its ok, you can tell me!" Ayako smiles at him, "You wont let me sleep if you'll not tell me!"  
  
"No, just don't think about it..."  
  
"Ryota, tell me...please" Ayako smiles at him again. Because of Ayako's smile, Ryota was defeated.  
  
"OK, OK! But, are you really sure you wanna know?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"Honestly?"  
  
"Argh, get on with it, tell me!"  
  
The two stopped in front of Ayako's gate.  
  
"Here goes nothin'"  
  
Slowly, he puts out the red rose he bought earlier and gives it Ayako while saying,  
  
"Can you go to the formal party with me?"  
  
  
  
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so what do you think for a first timer like me? second chapter will come soon! your comments, suggestions and criticisms are badly needed! ^_^ 


	2. chapter2

Hey guys, chapter 2 is here!!! Read on, I need your reviews please!!! Thanks to the first three people who reviewed --- Nellie, glaciercrasher- icefire and tensai-ispira!!! Thank you soo much!!!  
  
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INVITATION --- CHAPTER 2  
  
Ayako couldn't say anything, first Kogure-senpai, then Rukawa-kun, now Ryota.  
  
"I told you, you shouldn't have forced me to tell you..." Ryota told him hopelessly.  
  
"Ryota...I really don't know right now," Ayako explains. "You see, I don't want to hurt you nor Kogure-senpai and Rukawa. I don't want all of you to think that I have favoritisms...I'm so sorry, Ryota. Hope you understand..."  
  
"That's all right Aya-chan," Ryota smiles at her trying to hide his broken hearted face. "I understand."  
  
Ayako looks at the rose Ryota has given her. It's so sweet of him to give me a rose even if he just wants me to go with him, she thought.  
  
"I can't take this Ryota," Ayako says while giving the rose back to Ryota.  
  
"No, take it's really for you." He says softly. "So, bye for now..."  
  
"Um, yeah. Thank you so much for walking me home..." She smiles at him, "And thank you for the rose, I really appreciated it!" She smiles at him sweetly to let him know that she doesn't have intentions of not going with him nor refuse his favor.  
  
"Yeah, you're welcome, Ja!"  
  
(Ayako's thoughts while she enters her house)  
  
"Gosh, that was a hard decision. But why me.I'm not that attractive; sure, there are lots of girls prettier than me. I guess they grew too comfortable with me, yeah that's the reason. They're too shy to ask a girl other than me...haha!  
  
"But honestly, if Kogure-senpai and Rukawa didn't ask me first...I'd really go with Ryota. With the kind of effort he gave...even bought me a rose and accompany me home, come to think of it, he only wants me to go with him to the party. But, he's so nice and thoughtful even made an effort with that simple thing.  
  
"Wonder who'll they ask next...  
  
"Oh no, what about me, who'll be my partner? Nah, that's ok...anybody from our team who doesn't have a partner, I'll go with him!  
  
"Oh no, I can't I'm cursed! Rukawa, Kogure-senpai and Ryota will think that I don't like them! Damn it! NO partner for me...I guess I should go, um, what's the term for that...? Um, stag?"  
  
Ayako looks at the rose Ryota had given her. She grabs a thin flower vase, perfect for the long-stemmed rose. She puts the rose in it and places the vase on her bedside table.  
  
"He's so sweet...!"  
  
  
  
**********  
  
  
  
Enough of Ryota and Ayako...What happened to the other guy, Sakuragi?  
  
Well, let's just say he didn't make it! Poor Sakuragi, 50 girls already dumped him and now, just for this party he's been rejected by...guess who? Let's go back...1 hour earlier.  
  
"Sugoi! Sakuragi-kun. You're becoming better and better everyday!" Haruko commented after the team's usual practice.  
  
As ususal, Sakuragi, being praised by Haruko, turned beet red. After all, she's the reason why he's becoming better, although he doesn't recognize this. He's still conceited about himself being the so-called 'tensai'.  
  
"Hahaha...Really Haruko-san," Sakuragi blushed and gives Haruko a peace sign. "I Sakuragi Hanamichi, will be the best basketball player! No Sendoh, Maki nor Fujima shall hinder this tensai basketball guy!  
  
Haruko just smiled at him...He exaggerates about him being the best all the time.  
  
"Uuuh, Sakuragi-kun...You are having this formal party right?" Haruko smiled at him teasingly, "You're going to wear, formal clothes, formal shoes you're going to eat formally, haha...good luck!"  
  
"Nani? Did you just say 'Formal'..."? Sakuragi was alarmed; he didn't realize that.  
  
"Hai, that's a Formal Victory Party."  
  
"The invitation said, they're inviting the top 8 teams, right?"  
  
"Yup!"  
  
"Meaning, this tensai will see Kiyota, the boss-monkey, Fujima, Fukuda, Sendoh, Maki in..."  
  
"Formal clothes," Haruko finished.  
  
"Nyahahahaha! And that means they'll get to see this tensai look good, nyahahaha, they'll envy me! They'll soon realize that I'm not only a tensai but they'll get to see who the best good-looking guy is! Nyahahaha!" Sakuragi laughed evilly. Haruko on the other hand just smiled at him.  
  
"Um Haruko-san," this time the unusual Sakuragi entered --- I mean the serious Sakuragi, "Since it's formal - and the invitation said there's a dance - it said that we should invite ladies - I've decide that it'll be cool to spend that evening with --- um, Haruko-san..."  
  
Sakuragi and Haruko didn't realize that the captain of the Shohoku team is near.  
  
"...can you go to the party with---"  
  
"No, she can't," a sudden deep voice answered.  
  
Sakuragi and Haruko jumped at the voice. They turned their heads and realized that it was the captain.  
  
"Onii-chan?" Haruko replied.  
  
"Haruko, you can't go with that baka..." Akagi scolded Haruko lightly. "Since you're my sister, you're going with me."  
  
"What, Gori?" Sakuragi's hope was broken into pieces. "She's your sister, you can't---"  
  
"It doesn't mean that I can't go to the formal party with my sister. She's too young, and I can't let your dirty hands touch her, got that?" Akagi replied bossily.  
  
"Onii-chan, I'm not that young..." Haruko was a bit irritated.  
  
"Got that, Sakuragi?" Akagi asked Sakuragi once more.  
  
"Yeah right, Gori..." the angry Sakuragi replied.  
  
With that, Gori --- I mean Akagi, went to the direction where the locker rooms are located. Haruko apologized at Sakuragi for his onii-chan's behavior.  
  
"He's just being over-protected," she added.  
  
"That's alright Haruko-san!" Sakuragi replied.  
  
  
  
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what do you think? Comments, suggestions, reactions? I need it badly! Third chapter will be up soon... By the way so sorry if this chapter is not good, I had author's block, but, whew, at least I was able to finish it! ^_^ 


	3. chapter3

Hey everyone! Here's chapter 3, hope you'll like my very simple fic and um, as usual I need your reviews! ^_^ Thanks to all who reviewed!!! Sorry it took me soo long! Hectic life, school work and all, sorry!  
  
Disclaimer: Slam Dunk --- NOT MINE!!!!!!!  
  
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CHAPTER 3  
  
There is nothing so special about this day. It's the usual Friday morning sickness. You know the feeling like this is the last day of the week, I have to get up and go to school; just one more day, and weekend, here I come! Ryota would definitely love to go back to his bed and sleep for hours! Of course another reason is to dream about Aya-chan. Yup, he sounds corny, anyway he doesn't mind because it's his Friday morning sickness.  
  
But still, at least there's basketball practice, which he can look forward to.  
  
Half asleep, half day dreaming, he is not aware there's something ahead of him is ready to crash onto him anytime...  
  
"Ouch, um sorry," was his reply at the person he bumped into. He did not even looked at the person he bumped, nor notice the person has red hair. He just continues to walk and act as if nothing happened. A few seconds later, someone grabs his head, he looks up; that's the time he realizes he knows this person.  
  
"Hey," said the person who grabbed his head.  
  
"Hey..." is his reply.  
  
"What's with you, you already bumped me, and if I didn't grab your head, you wouldn't realize that you bumped a tensai."  
  
"Sorry, mornin' sickness and all..." he gives Sakuragi a lazy look.  
  
After a moment of silence --- a sleepy one, that is, Sakuragi asks: "So, have you asked Ayako-san to go with you to the stupid formal party?"  
  
"Yeah, wha' abou' you?" A sleepy reply once more from Ryota.  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Wha' happened?"  
  
"He almost said yes, Ryochin! That gorilla interrupted! Said, he doesn't want my dirty hands touch Haruko-san!"  
  
"Yeah, he's right..."  
  
"What do you mean he's right?"  
  
"Huh?" still a sleepy reply.  
  
"You're useless, go back to your house and sleep!" Sakuragi says irritated.  
  
"Ok..." Ryota says apathetically.  
  
"Argh, wake up Ryochin! Anyways, what happened to you and Ayako-san yesterday?"  
  
"It's the glass-man and the kitsune's fault! Damn it, they are trying to steal Aya-chan away from me!" ok, so now, he's little awake.  
  
"Whatever Ryochin, Ayako-san is not even yours..."  
  
"Yeah, yeah...Anyway! Yesterday afternoon, I walked Aya-chan home and I was in the middle of asking her when Kogure butted in, and asked Aya-chan in front of me, then Rukawa butted in asked Aya-chan...argh, everything was so perfect, those two ruined it!" and now, he is really awake.  
  
As they enter Shohoku High together, more rants burst out of the two guy's mouth. The usual view of their school greets them -- noisy people, cramming students asking for other's homework, people bringing notebooks and muttering words or rather memorizing stuffs, gossiping girls, group of friends sitting at their own place and more.  
  
As for the two, Sakuragi and Ryota, Shohoku High greets them differently. Students at the sight of Miyagi looks at him with a little scared face. Students in front of him or on his way automatically give way to him and don't even dare to bump onto him or look at him in a menacing way --- afraid of the consequences, unless you really have that guts to look at him or approach him like that. On the other hand students at the sight of Sakuragi either whisper at each other then giggle, some snort, some even laugh and make fun of him. But once he gives his killer eye to them, those students stop or...run.  
  
The two boys went on separate ways, still welcomed by the usual greeting of the school.  
  
Ryota goes inside his classroom with his usual come-here-and-fight-with-me face. His classmates are obviously used to it for they know that it is just Miyagi's usual appearance. He walks to his seat.  
  
Everything suddenly became bright when Ayako suddenly approaches him and greets him, "Hey Ryota".  
  
"Uuh...hey Aya-chan, mornin'!"  
  
"G'mornin' too!" Ayako replies back cheerfully.  
  
"So..." Ryota's reply, trying to find a conversation. "Um, did you tell Kogure and Rukawa already?"  
  
"Uhuh...at first I was scared co'z I thought they'll get mad at me but...it was ok, they accepted it!"  
  
"So, whom'll you go with, then?"  
  
"Nobody," Ayako's flat answer.  
  
"Huh, why?"  
  
"Co'z I don't want Rukawa, Kogure-senpai or you think that I don't like you guys...get what I mean?" Ryota nodded. "So, it's better not to go with anybody else. Anyway, why would I make a big deal with it...The victory party is sounding more like a prom to me..."  
  
***  
  
Aya-chan's weekend turned out to be money-spending and foot-aching trip to the mall with Haruko. They ended up buying the simplest dresses they could find...plus eating a lot of food. They even spotted some members of the team in arcades...or perhaps not only the arcades, Ayako thought, maybe they even bought clothes for themselves for next Saturday.  
  
Haruko and Ayako's minds were set. They don't need partners for this party... "By the way, who cares? It's no big deal to go with my BROTHER in social gatherings, right?" Haruko had said.  
  
"It's not like the end of the world or something, having no partners...I'll kick a person's ass if he or she makes a big deal about it!" Ayako commented rather harshly.  
  
  
  
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So that's it, end of chapter 3. I figured, I'm really bad, isn't it? You waited for many months, and I only gave you this...I'm really bad, I'm so sorry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh well, I'll try to make the next chapter better...I will really!!!! 


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